80 Staying with the Moon (1/2)

Sitting there in the corner of the ballroom with nothing to do except watching the other students as they had fun indulging themselves with alcohol and socializing, I decided that it was time for me to leave. I had no further obligations here and after checking my phone, it was already pretty late at 11 PM.

With nothing else on my mind, I got up from that seat and slowly made my way to the exit of the ballroom. My destination was the changing room where I had borrowed the tuxedo I was wearing from. There, my school uniform was stored in one of the cabinets. I walked down the lonely hallway, and in the background, the muffled noise of the music being played in the ballroom could be heard. I was sluggish from the day, and that muffled music acted like a lullaby as well as an annoyance at the same time; it's soft enough to lull my tired self near a state of drowsiness, but the music being played wasn't fit for sleep.

With a yawn, I slowly made my way to the changing rooms. By coincidence, when I brought my hands to the door handle of the men's changing room, the door to the women's changing room opened. From it emerged the two girls that I was fairly familiar with. Both Muria and Irina had changed back into their school uniforms, and as for Muria, she appeared quite relieved after escaping that revealing evening dress. On their faces was a look of surprise, but that look of surprise soon died down.

”You're heading home?” I asked after seeing that Irina had dressed herself in her school uniform.

”Yeah,” Irina responded. ”It's getting kinda late for girls to stay out.”

”It is nearing midnight,” I said after recalling the time. ”I'm heading home as well,” I then added. ”You need someone to walk you home?”

”Sure,” Irina answered with a relieved smile. ”It'll be a lot safer with a boy with us.”

”I mean Palisia is fairly safe,” I said.

”It's still much safer if there's a guy with us at night,” Irina smiled.

”Are you sure it won't be more dangerous, Irina?” Muria chimed in in her usual, cold manner.

”...” I stared at the girl who had just said that to me, and I then recalled how she had acted earlier. I remembered that shy and defenseless look she had on her face and chuckled. ”That's the Muria I know.”

”What do you mean?” she said, blushing a bit from being reminded of her state from earlier.

”Come now.” Irina turned me around and pushed me into the men's changing room. ”Hurry up and get changed.”

I was forced into the changing room and the door was soon closed behind me. I stared at the closed dark wood door for a few seconds, dazed and thinking about what had just happened. Then, with a sigh, I walked over to the cabinet where I had kept my school uniform, took my clothes out, and started stripping myself of the tuxedo I had on. I carefully folded them and laid them on top of the cabinet after putting on my own clothes. Then, I exited the changing room.

Outside, Muria and Irina were both waiting for me as promised. After seeing me, they greeted me once again and we started on our way towards the elevators. On our way, we passed by the ballroom entrance, and inside, it would appear that things were slowly becoming wild as the music was now being blasted on the speakers. It's gotten to the point that I was actually glad that I had left before the music had became this ear-rape.

The elevator was located in an opened area near the wide-pane windows at the side of the building. We had arrived at the elevator area from the right side, and there was also a hallway that intersected the one we had arrived in. On both sides of that hallway were doors leading into hotel rooms.

Once we arrived in the elevator area, I saw a familiar figure standing before the wide-pane windows and staring at the nighttime city outside. Her silvery-white hair seemed to sparkle underneath the illuminations in the hotel and her beautiful face was reflected slightly in the window glass before her. This reflection confirmed to me that this was Luna, and she saw us approach due to that reflection as well.

”Luna, you came to the party as well?” Irina sounded surprised when Luna turned around to greet us with a smile. ”I'm so surprised!”

”I'm not that rigid of a person,” Luna laughed. ”Or am I someone like that to you?”

”No,” Irina blushed.

Luna surveyed the three of us with her eyes. ”Are you three heading home?”

”Yeah,” Irina answered.

”How lucky of you,” she laughed once again as she made eye contact with me for a second and ended it shortly after. ”You have a personal escort.”

I wasn't sure if she was talking to Irina and Muria about my presence or talking to me about the two of them. It was probably the first option since if it was the latter, then wouldn't she be implying that Muria and Irina are prostitutes aka escorts?

”Are you leaving as well?” Muria asked after noticing that Luna was dressed in her school uniform.

”I was going to,” she said, ”but I'm kinda tired so I was resting for a bit before heading home.”

”Then how about we head home together?” Irina suggested. ”It's safer if it's the four of us.”

”Hmm...” Luna gazed out the window as she pondered over the suggestion. Then, with a smile, she declined. ”I think I'll be resting for a bit more before I head home,” she said after turning around to face us. ”You three can go ahead without me. It would be bad if I keep you here any longer than needed.”

”But—”

Irina was about to say something but was interrupted by Luna.

”It's fine,” Luna said. ”I can manage myself.”

Her denial led to a frown being formed on Irina's face. She wasn't damaged by the denial, but rather she was worried and concerned for Luna's safety. I know that because Irina is someone who would worry about others. Within her lies a kind and gentle heart, one that had existed even before my efforts of freeing her from her troubles.

”Then how about this,” Irina finally said after thinking for a way to guarantee Luna's safety.”Alevian, can you stay behind and walk Luna home? If that's fine with Luna...”

Luna looked over at me for a second, and then smiled. ”I'm fine with that,” she said. ”I think heading home later won't bother Alevian as much.”

”Then it's decided,” Irina smiled happily, knowing that her suggestion had helped.

What about me? I thought. I didn't agree just yet.

However, I kept those thoughts concealed within me, knowing that if I were to talk, that would probably result in a scolding by Irina. Besides, spending some time with Luna isn't as bad as staying behind in that loud ballroom. So, I don't have much reason to decline.

”What about you two then?” I asked. ”If the two of you were to walk the other person to their house, the person still not home will have to head home all alone. It's nearing midnight so...”

”It's fine,” Irina smiled as she hugged Muria. ”Muria said I can stay the night at her place.”